The U.S. International Trade Commission ruled that Apple did not violate three Motorola patents, including one that a judge had found the company to be infringing. But the agency sent a fourth patent — which the judge had initially said had not been infringed — back to the judge to reconsider.

Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) Thomas Pender will have to re-examine the issues with regard to the so-called “‘862 patent” related to a sensor that determines how close a mobile communications device is to a user’s head. “The Commission remands the investigation to the ALJ to consider the issues of infringement, validity, and the domestic industry requirement for the ‘862 patent,” the ITC order says. (PDF)

The reconsideration by the judge could take a year or more and the second initial determination would be subject to review by the ITC, according to the Foss Patents blog.Read More